Nagoya 2022

[Eikokurai 3,433]

It’s getting clearer that Shodai’s slow starts are just an Ozeki flex. “I’m so confident in my abilities, I give myself a handicap.” Dude is keeping himself from getting bored.

[Katooshu 3,132]

Terunofuji is a beast but he sure gets himself into some bad spots. Endo is 2-7 and has looked hapless in several bouts, but was on the verge of pushing him out there. Fierce attackers like Daeisho and Battle Hammy are coming up and could be tough ones for him.

If Kotonowaka can get a big win over Hosh tommorrow (Hosh won their last 4 after losing their first 3) he'll be my favourite for the yusho - he's looking very good lately, arguably #2 in sumo good. On the topic of Hosh, in 12 makuuchi basho he's only had a winning record at the end of day 6 on 3 occasions. He's got the stuff to go beyond solid komusubi, possibly well beyond that, but first needs to smooth out his game so he's not playing catchup so much. 

Going into day 10 with 6 leaders 

Edited July 18, 2022 by Katooshu

[Hankegami 412]

Good, Day 9 done. Hoping they are not going to close everything anytime soon, let's pretend we'll get our 15 days.

First of all a minute of silence for Wakatakakage, mercilessly yorikiri'd by Four Tits. Here goes his Ozeki bid. Now he can only keep winning to build up a whole new bid. Kotonowaka himself is doing good, and has an actual chance to get the yusho. Tomorrow (COVID permitting) Wakatakakage vs. Endo (3-0) and Hoshoryu vs. Kotonowaka (4-3, 4-0 in the last four matches). Perhaps the Nephew will prove to be fatal for Four Tits once again.

Ichinojo, the former sole leader, just ran over Kiribayama and will try to remain on the lead vs. Tamawashi tomorrow (10-9-1). The Old Fox is 3-6 and will be eager for a win.

Last, Teru being Teru dispatched Endo after an unexpectedly challenging bout. Tomorrow he will likely hand 2-7 Sadanoumi his MK.

So, the leader-board remained much unchanged today. Terunofuji, Kotonowaka, Ichinojo, Tobizaru, and Nishikigi. My two cents are that this yusho is still a Terunofuji vs. Ichinojo duel on distance. The Yokozuna has perhaps the most thorny path as he has yet to face virtually all the san'yaku that Ichinojo has already faced. Kotonowaka is good, but he still has chances to drop some bouts (see Hoshoryu tomorrow). Tobizaru and Nishikigi, I believe no one seriously put them in actual contention for the title. But everyone remembers Tokushoryu, right?

Edited July 18, 2022 by Hankegami

[Akinomaki 39,755]

Magaki told on NHK he gave Shodai some advice after day 3 and he won the next day. The NHK announcer then repeatedly made the guess that Shodai transformed into what we see now because of that advice.

[sumojoann 1,256]

3 hours ago, Eikokurai said:

Not the craziest idea to have them do week two in a couple of weeks in Tokyo instead. Unprecedented of course, but logistically not complicated. No crowds, just finish the basho. I don’t know what value it would bring other than closure though, so I can’t see it happening. An alternative could be to reach an odd number of days, say 11, and then call it quits. That’s enough for everyone to have a KK or MK.

The potential problem I see with doing Week 2 in a couple of weeks is that by then, who knows how many other heya might be infected and have to go kyujo.

[Yarimotsu 522]

Very impressed by Nishikigi once again, on Abema the commentator even remarked "he saw that well" which is ironic.

Endo put up a much better-than-expected effort but unfortunately for him the Yokozuna really wants to win this basho.

Shodai... Nobody ever really thought he would succumb to true ozekiwake status, right? After all this time giving convincing ozeki performances 

[sumojoann 1,256]

In the Wakatakakage/Kotonowaka bout, did anyone notice that Wakatakakage was trying to shift to his left, right at the edge when the gyoji got in his way?  I think this might have been the deciding factor in him losing the bout.

[sumojoann 1,256]

Shodai ..... 5-4 now with 6 more days to go.  Will he get his KK and save his rank?  It seems that on daily basis, we never know which Shodai is going to show up.  The lethargic, defeated-before-the-bout-starts Shodai, or the big strong uninjured Ozeki who dominates?

Edited July 18, 2022 by sumojoann

[Kaninoyama 1,694]

25 minutes ago, Akinomaki said:

Magaki told on NHK he gave Shodai some advice after day 3 and he won the next day. The NHK announcer then repeatedly made the guess that Shodai transformed into what we see now because of that advice.

Magaki tends to talk about himself a lot when doing guest commentary--which I supposed as the GOAT is not completely unwarranted. 

Edited July 18, 2022 by Kaninoyama

[Eikokurai 3,433]

31 minutes ago, sumojoann said:

The potential problem I see with doing Week 2 in a couple of weeks is that by then, who knows how many other heya might be infected and have to go kyujo.

Possible but heya can isolate for two weeks which is the usual quarantine period.

[sumojoann 1,256]

2 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

Possible but heya can isolate for two weeks which is the usual quarantine period.

Yes, that's true.  However, if several heyas are found to be infected just a few days prior to the start of the newly rescheduled Week 2, they would be dealing with the same problem of being forced to go kyujo.  And with the latest Covid variant being so contagious, that's unfortunately a definite possibility.

[sumojoann 1,256]

1 hour ago, Hankegami said:

Tobizaru and Nishikigi, I believe no one seriously put them in actual contention for the title. But everyone remembers Tokushoryu, right?

I'm not sure I would rule out Tobizaru just yet.  In his Makuuchi debut in Sept 2020, which I realize was almost 2 years ago, he came close to winning the Yusho.  On the last day, he had to defeat Shodai to force a playoff.  He lost.  However, if he had ended up winning the Yusho, he would have become the first rikishi since Ryogoku  Kajinosuke in 1914 to Yusho in his first Makuuchi basho (per wikipedia).

[Leo C 52]

1 hour ago, Akinomaki said:

Magaki told on NHK he gave Shodai some advice after day 3 and he won the next day. The NHK announcer then repeatedly made the guess that Shodai transformed into what we see now because of that advice.

Maybe he said he'd slap him again if he kept that level of performance...

[RabidJohn 1,663]

1 hour ago, sumojoann said:

In the Wakatakakage/Kotonowaka bout, did anyone notice that Wakatakakage was trying to shift to his left, right at the edge when the gyoji got in his way?  I think this might have been the deciding factor in him losing the bout.

Yeah, I noticed that. In the replay it looked like Wakatakakage put his foot down on top of the gyogi's, and it was sent over the bail as the latter pulled his foot away. It happens...

A pity it wasn't the tate-gyoji (again), as I could have called him Shikimori Intheway.

[Koorifuu 886]

It's shoudaimu!

[Seiyashi 4,071]

1 hour ago, Leo C said:

2 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

Magaki told on NHK he gave Shodai some advice after day 3 and he won the next day. The NHK announcer then repeatedly made the guess that Shodai transformed into what we see now because of that advice.

Maybe he said he'd slap him again if he kept that level of performance...

"I'll degeiko your ass into next year if you don't clear kadoban" 

Although maybe let's hope Hakuhō's advice doesn't work too well, otherwise we might be seeing TNY Shōdai in a few basho. That said, maybe I want to see TNY Shōdai, if only to watch the NSK's collective meltdown. 

Edited July 18, 2022 by Seiyashi

[lackmaker 431]

2 hours ago, sumojoann said:

Shodai ..... 5-4 now with 6 more days to go.  Will he get his KK and save his rank?  It seems that on daily basis, we never know which Shodai is going to show up.  The lethargic, defeated-before-the-bout-starts Shodai, or the big strong uninjured Ozeki who dominates?

Which sort of describes Ichinojo too.

[sumojoann 1,256]

13 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

"I'll degeiko your ass into next year if you don't clear kadoban" 

Although maybe let's hope Hakuhō's advice doesn't work too well, otherwise we might be seeing TNY Shōdai in a few basho. That said, maybe I want to see TNY Shōdai, if only to watch the NSK's collective meltdown. 

Now that you've edited your comment, I must say I don't know what TNY means.

[sumojoann 1,256]

I saw something strange but interesting in the dressing area after the Meisei/Okinoumi bout, and I'm wondering if any of y'all saw it, too.  Meisei lost the bout and was almost in tears.  Then Isegahama Oyakata began talking to him in the dressing area and making hand gestures, as if he was coaching him on what he (Meisei) should have done to win the bout.  Meisei repeated the hand gestures and Isegahama Oyakata nodded.  Then Meisei quickly bowed his head & said something (probably "thank you") and they parted ways.  Interesting since Meisei belongs to Tatsunami Beya.

[Eikokurai 3,433]

I’d love Nishikigi to win it, tbh. I’ve always had a soft spot for him. Not sure why. I think I just like his unfussiness. Technically sound but not very stylish. Hard to beat because he’s solid at the core and got strong legs, and yet not hard not to beat because he isn’t very mobile. Kind of reminds me of lower division footballers who can do what they do well enough to play the game for a job but no thrills so can’t quite cut it at the higher levels. Nishikigi is also half blind and seems like a bit of a nerd which I find quite endearing.

[Seiyashi 4,071]

16 minutes ago, sumojoann said:

Now that you've edited your comment, I must say I don't know what TNY means.

The next yokozuna! 

[sumojoann 1,256]

2 minutes ago, Eikokurai said:

I’d love Nishikigi to win it, tbh. I’ve always had a soft spot for him. Not sure why. I think I just like his unfussiness. Technically sound but not very stylish. Hard to beat because he’s solid at the core and got strong legs, and yet not hard not to beat because he isn’t very mobile. Kind of reminds me of lower division footballers who can do what they do well enough to play the game for a job but no thrills so can’t quite cut it at the higher levels. Nishikigi is also half blind and seems like a bit of a nerd which I find quite endearing.

 

2 hours ago, Yarimotsu said:

Very impressed by Nishikigi once again, on Abema the commentator even remarked "he saw that well" which is ironic.

 

Yes, I like him too.  I can't imagine what it must be like to fight half blind.  He's sturdy and reliable but easy to overlook.  I had to laugh at the Abema commentator remarking that "he (Nishikigi) saw that well."  I hope he continues to fight well and I, too, would be happy if he wins it.

[sumojoann 1,256]

8 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

The next yokozuna! 

Thank you for clarifying that TNY Shodai means "The Next Yokozuna".  I just couldn't come up with anything beyond "Tiny Shodai" and I KNEW that couldn't be it!

[Seiyashi 4,071]

I was about to say, levity aside, that the advice Magaki gave Shōdai might be psychological rather than technical, since Magaki knows all about being pilloried in the press.

But apparently, the advice was much simpler: Warm up before your match! (Enough to sweat and then go.)

https://www.sanspo.com/article/20220718-OIH6BKLWXNNJ3LUT53NJXAQSH4/ 

I'm lost for words, to be honest. I don't know to be more shocked that Shōdai doesn't know that, that he won a yūshō without knowing that, or that something so simple is apparently making such a large difference in his performance. Or worse still, that now knowing that, Shōdai might consistently be in the arasoi and might even string together two yūshō by accident now.

[Hankegami 412]

3 hours ago, sumojoann said:

In the Wakatakakage/Kotonowaka bout, did anyone notice that Wakatakakage was trying to shift to his left, right at the edge when the gyoji got in his way?  I think this might have been the deciding factor in him losing the bout.

Possibly. Wakatakakage has always showed a good ring sense and was likely going to plant his foot on the bales. It's sad that "gyoji on the way" does not call for a mono-ii and ultimately a torinaoshi if it was really on the way.

1 hour ago, Seiyashi said:

Although maybe let's hope Hakuhō's advice doesn't work too well, otherwise we might be seeing TNY Shōdai in a few basho. That said, maybe I want to see TNY Shōdai, if only to watch the NSK's collective meltdown. 

I rooted - almost seriously - for a Yokozuna Shodai since his miraculous 9-6. The man is too talented for his own sloppy performances. That's also for my own mental health. If you are so good to clear kadoban at will, please show up 24/7 and stop being your typical lazy employee ("saved my job today, as usual").

2 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

But apparently, the advice was much simpler: Warm up before your match! (Enough to sweat and then go.)

I won't be surprised if Shodai spent his waiting time thinking about how screwed up he is. It would be totally in character.